Saint-Domingue (Haiti)
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Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Cormier (Grande-Riviere-du-Nord), Saint-Domingue (Haiti)
Archival Overview
Founding Father and supreme liberator of Haiti who defeated Napoleon's veteran armada at the decisive Battle of Vertieres in 1803 and proclaimed the independent Republic of Haiti on January 1, 1804, establishing the world's first free Black republic.
Biographical Record
Born into brutal plantation slavery, Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758–1806) rose to become Toussaint Louverture's fiercest military general. When Napoleon dispatched General Leclerc with 30,000 troops in 1802 to re-enslave the Black population, Dessalines waged scorched-earth warfare, famously defending the Crête-à-Pierrot fortress against overwhelming odds.
Following Louverture's capture, Dessalines united Black and mixed-race forces under the slogan 'Koupe tèt, boule kay' (Cut off heads, burn down houses). On November 18, 1803, at the Battle of Vertières, his troops routed the French army under Rochambeau. On New Year's Day 1804 at Gonaïves, Dessalines proclaimed the independent nation of Ayiti.
Key Life Milestones
Victory at the Battle of Vertieres
Crushed the French expeditionary army of Napoleon Bonaparte, sealing Haitian independence.
Proclamation of Haitian Independence
Proclaimed Haiti an independent sovereign nation on January 1, 1804, destroying colonial slavery forever.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialPort-au-Prince, Haiti